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Minda Burr - Writing

Writing in the “ZONE”- Part I

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by: Minda Burr

Writing is such a great opportunity for you to express your “one-of-a-kind” self uniquely, so it’s important to know how you can best access your own personal “creative genius”. So, we are first going to take a look at our big, beautiful brains and how they help us (and hinder us) creatively.

The LEFT SIDE of our brain is dominated by our Conscious Mind – where our logic and reason comes from, as well as our ability to analyze. It stores a lot of valuable data and information that we can draw from. It’s also where our critical mind resides as well as our censor. The RIGHT SIDE of our brain is where our CREATIVITY is ignited and our delicious imaginations are stirred. It’s where our feelings and intuition stem from. The right side is also where we have access to the subconscious mind as well as the “collective UN-conscious.” The great news about that is that we have access to information that is not limited to our own individual experiences, but to the “all” of humanity”. And if we venture far enough away from our conscious mind, we can dive into the creative ZONE where there is no time, there is no space, there are no worries, there are no judgments, there is only the BLISS of the creative “experience.”

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT —Your first draft of anything should be where you give the right side of your brain FULL reign! Where you don’t try to control anything and you let it rip! You allow your imagination, intuition, your heart and soul and your own personal “creative genius” to have some FUN. Your first draft is where you allow them to take you on a ride that will DELIGHT and surprise you. The last thing on your mind should be about “doing it correctly” in the first draft. Perfectionism KILLS creativity… Imagine Vincent Van Gogh if he had tried to paint “correctly” — we would be without his “one-of-a-kind” masterpieces. Talk about a brilliant authentic expression!

For example, allow these characters you are choosing to explore to have some interaction and dialogue with each other without you trying to control it. You will be surprised at some of the brilliant dialogue that comes out of their mouths! Especially since you didn’t say it; they did. As a matter of fact, if you give your characters enough reign, they will start to inform your story. They will tell you what they want to say, where they want to go and what they want to do… Amazing things you wouldn’t have thought of consciously.

If you allow your imagination to SOAR in the first draft, it will make your rewrites much easier and more fun because you are now invested emotionally and you have some brilliant gems you can PLAY with. Then, in the rewrites, you can apply more structure and technique, but remain open for the “ah ha” moments. Soon things will start to make sense that might not have before. For example, did you know that M. Night Shyamalan (who wrote and directed The Sixth Sense) didn’t even know that the Bruce Willis character was dead until the 4th or 5th draft? That one element made the movie ten times more impactful… Perhaps it’s time to TRUST yourself and surrender to the creative “Zone”. We’ll talk more about how you can do that next time… (to be continued in part II).

Be Your Own Creative Genius

How to Tap Into Your Own Personal ‘Creative Genius’

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Writing is such a great opportunity for you to express your “one-of-a-kind” self uniquely, so it’s important to know how you can best access your own personal authentic voice.


There is only one “you”… No one else has had your exact life experiences; the triumphs or the challenges. No one else is living your soul’s journey or has your unique perspective. And no one else has your individual way of expressing your-self.

In order to tap into your very own personal “creative genius”, we are first going to take a look at your big, beautiful brain and how it helps you (and hinders you) creatively.

The LEFT SIDE of your brain is dominated by our Conscious Mind – where our logic and reason comes from, as well as our ability to analyze. It stores a lot of valuable data and information that we can draw from. It’s also where our critical mind resides as well as our censor.

The RIGHT SIDE of your brain is where CREATIVITY comes from and where our imagination is ignited. It’s also where our feelings and intuition stem from. The right side is where we have access to the subconscious mind as well as the “collective UN-conscious.”

The great news about the Collective UN-conscious is that we have access to information that is not limited to our own individual experiences, but to the “all” of humanity”. And if we venture far enough away from our conscious mind, we can dive into the creative ZONE where there is no time, there is no space, there are no worries, there are no judgments, there is only the BLISS of the creative “experience.”

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT…

Your first draft of anything should be where you give the right side of your brain FULL reign. Where you don’t try to control anything and you let it rip! You allow your imagination, intuition, your heart and soul and your own personal “creative genius” to have some FUN. Your first draft is where you allow them to take you on a ride that will DELIGHT and surprise you!

The LAST thing on your mind should be “doing it right” in the first draft. Perfectionism KILLS creativity… Imagine Vincent Van Gogh if he had tried to paint “correctly” — we would be without his “one-of-a-kind” masterpieces. Talk about an authentic voice!

For example, allow these characters you are choosing to explore to have some interaction and dialogue with each other without YOU trying to control it. You will be surprised at some of the brilliant dialogue that comes out of their mouths! Especially since you didn’t say it; they did. As a matter of fact, if you give your characters enough reign, they will start to inform your story. They will tell you what they want to say, where they want to go and what they want to do… Amazing things you wouldn’t have thought of consciously.

If you allow your imagination to SOAR in the first draft, it will make your rewrites much easier and more fun because you are now invested EMOTIONALLY and you have some brilliant gems you can PLAY with. Then, in the rewrites, you can apply more structure and technique, but remain open for the “ah ha” moments. Soon things will start to make sense that might not have before. For example, did you know that M. Night Shyamalan (who wrote and directed The Sixth Sense) didn’t even know that the Bruce Willis character was dead until the 4th or 5th draft? That one element made the movie ten times more impactful!

Okay, I understand that you might be saying, “Sounds great, but easier said than done!” That’s why it’s so important as artists to cultivate and NURTURE the right brain. In fact, there are several ways you can do that.

One of the best ways is DELIGHTING in your five fabulous SENSES!

For example, here are just a few of the thousands of ways you can delight in your senses:

  • Savor and be present with delicious food.
  • Listen to beautiful uplifting or relaxing music.
  • Enjoy the beauty of nature. RELISH the beauty all around you!
  • Stop and SMELL the roses (literally).
  • Kiss, touch and be affectionate with your loved ones.

Other Great ways to STIMULATE the RIGHT BRAIN:

  • Meditate: get out of your conscious mind and into the alpha state.
  • Gather with friends you really ENJOY and have some laughs. FUN is a big right brain stimulator!
  • Go see terrific movies, read good books, watch entertaining and funny shows – they ALL stimulate and ENHANCE the right brain.
  • MOVE your body. Dance, make love, hike, ride a bike!

ENGAGE in Life! How can you expect us to engage in your story, if you aren’t engaged in your own life?!

In upcoming videos/articles, I will be discussing:

  • Cultivating story ideas and topics that you feel passionate about!
  • Creating compelling characters that we care about (or love to hate)!
  • Creating fascinating story arcs that keep your readers hooked!
  • Writers block and how to deal with it!

Stay tuned… for more Writing articles. For more information on my Writing Mastermind Groups or private coaching, visit my website or call me at:

MBwritingworkshop.com
310-923-2726
Actors Writing Their Own Material

Actors Writing Your own Material

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The biggest mistake most actors make is leaving it to their agent to establish a career for him or her. Then there is the smaller percentage of go-getters who know very well that the agent is only responsible for 10 percent of their work – so they create or write their own opportunities. This way they can have much more of a say in what they actually want to “design” in terms of their creative participation and ultimate success.


This goes all the way back to the days of Charlie Chaplin in the 1920s and Mae West in the 1930s, when they were the most powerful people in Hollywood at the time. Mae West was considered very risqué in her day but she didn’t need permission from anyone to do “anything” she wanted.

Some other standouts who have created star making vehicles for themselves are Woody Allen, Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel – to name just a few. Every heard of any of these guys?? Seriously, who else would have made Woody Allen a movie star but Woody Allen?! He created a brilliant way to do whatever he darn well pleases and not have to answer to anyone – ever. With complete creative control, Woody still makes one movie a year. And the good news to all “maturing talent” in show biz – is that some of his latest masterpieces like “Midnight in Paris” and “Blue Jasmine” – are amongst his best work in his 40-something year career.

Fortunately, female writer/performers have finally burst into the “Hollywood Big Guns” scene in a fierce way, starring in film and television gems they have created for themselves and the people they want to PLAY with. Tina Fey established herself mightily as the first female Head Writer for Saturday Night Life, which helped pave the way for Loren Michaels to produce the big hit she penned (and also co-starred in) – the clever box office champ, “Mean Girls”. The next thing you know, she is writing, producing and starring in the highly acclaimed and award winning “30 Rock.” Then more movies… Plus co-hosting the Golden Globes with another female dynamo – Amy Poehler.

Kristen Wiig parlayed her hilarious (and brilliantly written) romps on SNL into the hysterically funny “Bridesmaids”, which turned out to a huge hit! And you’re never too young to get started. Lena Dunham was 19 and 20 years old when she wrote, directed and starred in some award winning short films, which then paved the way for her enormous success as writer, star and often time director of the brilliant series “Girls” on HBO.

You might be saying, “But I’m not a writer.” My answer to that is, “How do you know? Nobody is a writer until they write something!” I have three thriving mastermind groups and I would say that nine out of the ten people in each of my groups are either former or current actors who want to create their own opportunities.

Across the board, I have found that actors are most often brilliant writers because you are very sensitive people and you are keenly interested in human behavior. Plus you have a deep desire to be freely expressed and you have a great imagination that you like to “use”. You love to observe people and emulate interesting behavior. You dive deep and you’re passionate people. These are all qualities of a great writer!

So, my goal here is to plant some seeds so that you’ll be inspired to create your own “ticket to ride”… And it’s never been a better time in the history of show business to do that. Because of the Internet and social media – as well as advancements in technology – you can now buy quality video cameras that create beautiful high definition for very little expense. Plus, if you are fortunate enough to have a Mac or more advance PC with editing capabilities, you can shoot, star in and edit your own short (or full length) films, web series, talk shows, sketches and stand-up comedy highlights. And then gain an entire fan base on You Tube with your own channel! It’s so much easier now to create and edit your own masterpieces, than what was available to the average person just a few years ago… The possibilities to create and share your unique expression – is ENDLESS.

Now it’s time to ask yourself seven questions:

  1. What is unique or outstanding about me that I can enjoy sharing for my own and others entertainment?
  2. What subjects fascinate me?
  3. What characters do I want to explore, dive into, behave like or interact with?
  4. What ironies of Life would I like to contemplate and find humor in?
  5. What quirks or personal flaws do I have that I can have some FUN with?
  6. What strengths or expertise do I have that I can inspire or entertain others with?
  7. Who are the people that I would like to create and PLAY with?

PLEASE NOTE: It’s so important to align yourself with other creative comrades whose talent you admire and whose company you enjoy, so that you can inspire and motivate each other while you create something fabulous together. If you look at the stars I talked about earlier, whether it be Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller or Jason Segel, they keep playing with the same cast of characters! They keep making movies together and they have a ball doing it. They also have a better chance of success when they band together and so will you.

In the next video, I’ll share more great tips about how to create your own opportunities with more information about web series, YouTube and the best equipment for the lowest price.

And I encourage you take advantage of the wealth of information available to you on MasterTalentTeachers.com. It will greatly support you in all this.

For more information about Minda Burr’s Writing Mastermind Groups and Private Coaching go to: www.mbwritingworkshop.com or Call: 310-923-2726

How to Cultivate Great Story Ideas

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By: Minda Burr

How do you develop an idea? Where do you even begin if you don’t know what you want to write next? So, I am going to ask you SIX KEY questions, and I want you to answer them from your from your heart and soul – from your gut – instead of from your conscious mind, because that is where you have access to your own unique ‘authentic voice’.

  1. The most obvious question – What do you feel passionate about? What is genuinely interesting to you? And if you’re writing a screenplay, novel or stage play — what characters would you like to dive into, live inside, talk like and behave like for awhile? You are going on an adventure and a personal journey with these characters, so you might as well enjoy yourself. What we are emotionally connected to, we are much more committed to. Obviously Nora Ephron was intrigued by the dance of Love between charming, intelligent and witty characters for example, in “When Harry Met Sally” and “Sleepless in Seattle” – while the Cohen Brothers preferred to swim in dark waters with deviant characters in “Fargo” and No Country for Old Men”. What water do YOU want to swim in??
  2. Are you a great observer of life and the “human condition”? Does it fascinate you to the point that you start conjuring up scenarios about where Life might be going? Suzanne Collins did a brilliant job of that in the “Hunger Games.” She took two somewhat disturbing trends in our society today and exaggerated them in the future in a fascinating way: First, she takes the ever widening gap in our society of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, and catapults us into a future where the rich are now living outrageously opulent and SELF-indulgent lives in separate cities! They now live far, FAR AWAY from the deprived poor who live in concentration camps and are forced to hunt for their own food to survive. In the second current trend, she highlights our society’s obsession with ‘reality shows’ and takes us into a future where the most popular entertainment for the rich is watching the poor people stalk and kill each other. Then the victors become media sensations just like the Kardashians are today! Fascinating.

    QUESTION: Is there something that YOU see in the future that could be the natural outcome of what the way we are living now?

  3. Are you FUNNY? Do people think you are witty and they laugh a lot when they are your presence? If you can do it in person, you can put it on paper. If you are funny that is GOLD – do not squander your talent. And you have SO many arenas in which to cultivate it.
  4. Are you able to laugh at the ironies of life and how incredibly idiotic we are sometimes as members of the human race? Nobody does that better than Larry David did with “Seinfeld” and now “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. He has such a UNIQUE and interesting slant on everyday reality and he writes such flawed characters in mundane and sometimes ridiculous circumstances, that he allows us to laugh at ourselves for being human. If you have that gift, SHARE it.
  5. What knowledge or EXPERTISE do you have that is worth entertaining other people with? Look at what a Law career did for John Grisham and his series of best-selling books that became big movies, like “The Firm” and “A Time to Kill?” What expertise do you have that could be the foundation for a great idea?? It doesn’t matter if you’re a former bronco bull rider or a reformed sex addict – there could be ‘Gold in them there hills.’
  6. “Seemingly” OUT OF NOWHERE GEMS. What ideas have popped into your head out of nowhere and made you think, “This would be a great story or topic!” Pay attention to those! Those ideas out of nowhere are your heart and soul talking to you. They can also come from the Collective UN-conscious. Which means, that if you don’t write about, it someone else WILL. When those moments of inspiration happen – write them down immediately or call yourself and leave a detailed message. Or get one of those recording devices. Don’t assume you’re going to remember it because you most likely won’t. Inspiration comes in a FLASH – and is often gone like a puff of smoke if you don’t record it.

Writing in the “ZONE” – Part II

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by Minda Burr

In my last entry, I talked about the difference between the right and left brain and how important it is to give the RIGHT BRAIN FULL REIGN in the first draft of anything because it’s where our intuition, imagination and creative impulses come from! And today we’re going to talk about how you can enhance and stimulate the right brain to allow yourself a more brilliant and joy-filled writing experience. But allow me to digress for a moment for an important reason:

We are all born with “playful” spirits… It’s the ESSENCE of who we are when we come into this world. We don’t even start to develop our critical mind, as well as logic and reason until we are about seven years old. That’s why children’s imaginations are so HUGE and they have so much freedom to play and create. It’s also why they believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy and the Easter rabbit because it tickles their imaginations and lets them live in a world of WONDER.

What’s important to be reminded is that our playful spirits never leave! They don’t abandon us when we turn 30 and say, “See you later sucker!” No, they STAY with us for the rest of our lives. But unfortunately, here’s what happens: we start to get conditioned by society’s left brained “logic and reason” and our playful spirits get pushed down with all the “shoulds” and “have tos” of life. We are forced to make responsible, sensible and often times money-making (rather than creatively satisfying) decisions. Then we eventually become hostages of our own left brain -. the so-called logical, rational part of our brain. You know the part of us – who wants to make smart decisions. And our spontaneity gets suppressed, then our playful natures get suppressed, then our imaginations get suppressed and our creative genius gets pushed even further down into our psyche.

And when that happens, it gets pissed. We can literally feel the tension and stress in our bodies because our playful spirit – which is the essence of who we are when we’re born – has been moved to the back of the bus and it is NOT happy. The worst part is, our playful spirits are our IMAGINATIONS greatest ally! They are the best of comrades because they fuel each other… We know nothing works well when we are constricted – not work, not relationships, not sex and most certainly not the “creative process” – whether it’s acting, painting, dancing or writing – you name it.

I am a big believer in Source energy… I believe that we are all conduits of the Creative Intelligence of the Universe, and we are either open conduits or we are painfully CLOSED. Which one has the better chance of accessing brilliance? Which one has a better chance of ENJOYING the process along the way?

So, it’s very important to cultivate being an OPEN VESSEL for the creative energy to FLOW brilliantly to and through us. And when that happens, it is so delicious. And you might ask, what about some of the tortured artists like Hemingway who created such brilliant classics? My answer to that is, he was DRUNK most of the time! His critical mind was out of the way! He let go of his resistance when he was fueled with alcohol. Unfortunately, he probably woke up with a hangover every day. But Hemingway was also a big adventurer and life LIVER. He was a world traveler, lived by his own rules, didn’t give a damn what anybody thought and was a hedonist of the highest order. He had great PASSION for life and women and FUN — all great fuel for freedom of expression.

I am in no way suggesting that we should be drunk when we write, but it leads me to one of the best ways that we can stimulate our right brain: Delighting in our senses is at the top of the list. We literally experience the world through our five senses and they are all right brain stimulators. How can we invite a reader into a vivid story of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch – as well as deep feelings – if we are not present with and delighting in our own five senses? How can we immerse anyone into a world we are creating if we can’t even immerse ourselves?

So, how do we do that?? Delighting in your senses means to be fully “present” with them and GRATEFUL for them, whether you’re savoring delicious food, listening to great music, laughing your ass off at something funny, touching and being touched by people you feel love and affection for, singing, dancing, allowing yourself to be in awe of the beauty of nature. Getting out in nature, moving your bodies and paying attention to all there is to experience and enjoy in life. Watch how your creative channels open up, the more you feel ONE with Life… Meditation is also a great right brain stimulator, as well as other creative endeavors. I am also a jewelry designer and I truly believe creativity begets more creativity. Amen.